Wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement on Thursday, a day after she was disqualified from the gold medal bout in the 50 kg women’s category at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The 29-year-old wrestler, who became the first Indian female to reach an Olympic final, was one bout away from a historic gold after putting up stunning performances on the way to the final. However, she was disqualified after the mandatory morning weigh-in on Tuesday showed her being overweight by 100 grams.
Announcing her retirement, she said in a post on X in Hindi, “Ma Kusti (Mother, wrestling) won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream and my courage has been broken. I don’t have any more strength now.”
“Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024,” she added in the post.
Vinesh had won the semi-final bout by a margin of 5-0 against her Cuban opponent, Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who replaced her in the final match – and ended up winning a silver medal. America’s Sarah Hildebrandt, who was awaiting an Indian opponent, but got a Cuban instead, clinched the gold with a 3-0 score.
Vinesh has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), asking for a joint silver medal for the event. The decision on the same will be announced today.
The 29-year-old wrestler from Haryana is a three-time Olympian, having contested in three different weight categories in all three Games. While in the Rio Olympics in 2016, she contested in the 48 kg category, in the Tokyo Games, Vinesh contested in the 53 kg.
She has won three gold medals in three Commonwealth Games, in 2014, 2018 and 2022, in three different weight categories.
Vinesh also became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in 2018. She has also won two bronze medals at the World Wrestling Championships in 2019 and 2022, respectively.
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from wrestling final at Olympics on Wednesday.
Vinesh is the first Indian woman wrestler in an Olympic final.
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